The invention relates to a suction teat arrangement for an automatic feeder for feeding livestock, in particular calves. There are high sanitary requirements for feeding calves with automatic feeders. The feed product is generally freshly mixed for each individual feeding procedure based on powdered milk. By sucking on a suction teat, a calf can suck its feed product ration out of a mixing container via a supply line. The flow of such a feeding procedure mainly corresponds with the natural drinking behavior of a calf. The mixing container, suction teat and supply line are regularly cleaned, in particular by rinsing with water and/or cleaning fluid. In the process, it should be prevented that a calf comes in contact with the cleaning fluid or respectively consumes cleaning agent during a subsequent feeding procedure.
A suction teat arrangement with an automatic feeder became known from the document DE 199 57 969 C1. A shutoff valve is arranged in a supply line, which connects a mixing container with the suction teat fastened on a feed stand. Between the mixing container and the shutoff valve, the supply line has a branch connection, to which a branch line, in which a pump is located, is connected. In order to clean the known device, a cleaning fluid is added to the mixing container and is first fed via the supply line into the branch line by means of the pump. The conveying direction of the pump is then reversed. A return flow of the cleaning agent out of the branch line to the mixing container is prevented by a check valve. When the shutoff valve is open, the cleaning agent then moves out of the branch line from the branch connection via the downstream part of the supply line to the suction teat. In order to prevent an animal from coming in contact with the cleaning agent, the suction teat is pivoted upwards during the cleaning procedure and covered by a cover plate.
Based on this background, the object of the invention is to provide a suction teat arrangement, which can be more easily produced, installed and cleaned.